Gums and Stabilizers
Hydrocolloids are among the most widely use ingredients in the food industry
  • A range of polysaccharides and proteins
  • Also known as gums and stabilizers
Functions:
  • Thickening agents
  • Gelling or texturizing agent
  • Stabilization of emulsions
  • Suspension of particulates
  • Control of crystallization
  • Encapsulation
  • Formation of film
Factors affecting gum properties
  • Molecular weight
  • Monosaccharide composition ( building block
  • Type of side chains
  • Number of side chains
  • Distribution of side chains
Gelation of Hydrocolloids
  • Some hydrocolloids form gel on heating/ cooling; some require the presence of cations
  • Others will form gel under acidic pH + high sugar concentration – High Methoxyl Pectin; Some require alkaline pH
  • Thermoreversible gelling agents. Eg gelatin, agar, K-carrageenan, L-carrageenan, LM pectin, Gellan gum, Methy cellulose, Hydropropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC)
  • Thermally irreversible gelling agents Eg alginate, starch, konjac, HM pectin
Pectin
  • Derived from the peel of citrus fruits
  • Natural form : protopectin (insoluble)
  • Chain of polygalacturonic acid- partially esterified as methyl esters
High Methoxy Pectin (HMP)
  • Commercial high methoxy pectin: DE 58% to 75%
  • To form gel, TSS must range between 55-85% and pH 2.8-3.8
  • Classified into ultrarapid/ rapid set (DE as high as 77)-used in jams & slow set (DE ~58)-used for very acid fruits to avoid premature gelation
  • Setting time 1-3min to >1h
  • Not heat reversible
Low Methoxy Pectin (LMP)
  • DE <50% , Two sub group: Conventional low methoxyl pectin (LMP) and amidated low methoxyl pectin (ALMP)
  • Form gels in the presence of Ca 2+
  • LMP less Ca2+ reactive than ALMP=> used as a thickening agent in yoghurt fruit.
  • ALMP very Ca2+ reactive => assist gelation in low-sugar fruit
  • Gelation of LM Pectin based on “egg-box” model
Typical pectin uses: Jams,jellies and preserves, Stabilizer and in fermented/directly acidified dairy products. LM pectin gels are heat reversible

Carrageenan
  • Highly refined extract of seaweed from the rhodophyta family
  • 3 types of carrageenan:
  • 1. Kappa (K-carrageenan)
  • 2. Lambda (ɻ-carrageenan)
  • 3. Lota (ɩ-carrageenan)
  • Commercial carrageenans are not pure but contain vary amount of the other types
  • Kappa and lota- carrageenan have the ability to form thermoreversible gels upon cooling of hot aqueous solutions containing various cations; lambda-carrageenan does not form a gel (only act as thickening agent)

Alginate
  • Derived brown seaweed ( Laminaria hyperborean)
  • Made up of blocks of D-mannuronic acid (M-block) & L-guluronic (G-block)
  • Ratio of M:G & MW of polymer determine the solution and gelling properties of alginate
  • Can form gel in cold water in the presence of Ca ion, the gel is thermo-irreversible
  • Applications:
  • 1. Provide stabilizing effect in frozen products
  • 2. Act as thickener & stabilizer in beverage
  • 3. Propylene glycol alginate esterified form of alginate has emulsification property commonly used as stabilizer in emulsions

Gum Arabic
  • =gum acacia- the oldest & best known
  • Sap exuded from various species of Acacia trees
  • Polysaccharide contain galactose, rhamnose, arabinopyranose, arabinofuranose, glucoronic acid
  • Contain small amount of protein, calcium, magnesium & potassium
  • Dissolve easily in hot/cold water
  • Least viscous & most soluble of all the hydrocolloids
  • Uses:
  • 1. Confectionery products – to retard sugar crystallization and promote emulsification
  • 2. Encapsulation agent
  • 3. Promote stabilization of foam in beer
  • 4. Emulsifier and stabilizer in soft drink emulsion

Locust bean gum (LBG)
  • Come from seed of the leguminose Ceratonia siliqua
  • Galactomannan gums
  • Insoluble in cold water & must be heated to dissolve
  • Does not form a gel by itself- gel when combined with xanthan gum
  • Non-ionic-stable over pH 3.5-11.0
  • Primary functions: thickening, stabilization of emulsions, inhibition of syneresis

Guar Gum
  • A linear chain of mannose with single galactose units attached as side chains
  • More highly substituted than LBG
  • Nongelling- used primarily as a viscosity builder, stabilizer & water binder
  • Stable from pH 4-10

Xanthan Gum
  • Polysaccharides produced from fermentation of CHO substrate with Xanthomonas campestris
  • Completely soluble in cold water & produce high viscosity at low conc.
  • Excellent stability to heat & pH
  • Pseudoplastic
  • Use for its thickening, suspending & stabilizing effects

Cellulose Derivatives
  • Alkaline treatment convert cellulose into an ether
  • Examples: carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) , hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC)
  • Clear solution & stable over pH4-10
  • Use for thickening, suspending, stabilizing & modify flow characteristics
  • Methylcellulose (MC) & HPMC gel when heated & return to their original liquid viscosities when cooled.
  • Use in fried foods- barrier to oil absorption, stop loss of moisture & improve adhesion of batter



Properties and Application of Gelatin in Food Products
What is Gelatin?
  • Natural foodstuff
  • Raw materials: skin (pigskin and hide split) and bone taken from slaughtered animals
  • Collagen contained is the starting material used for manufacture of gelatin
  • Amino acid contents: Glycine 33%, Hydroxyproline & Proline 22%, and other 17 amino acid 45%
  • Composition of edible gelatin: 84-90% Protein, 8-12% Water and 2-4% Mineral Salts
  • Contain no fat or CHO, no purine or cholesterol and free of all preservatives.

Source and Production of Gelatin
Type A: derived from acid processed materials, e.g porkskin
  • Ø pI at pH 8.0-9.0
  • 1.
  • 2. Place in extraction kettles and hydrolyzed with successive portions of hot water.
  • 3. Filter and evaporate the dilute solution
  • 4. Chill the concentrated solutions to a gel
  • 5. Carefully dry with filtered and conditioned air in drying tunnels/ continuous dryers
  • 6. End product: solid containing ~10% moisture.
  • 7. Test for grade and quality

Type B: derived from alkaline or lime processed materials, e.g cattle or calf hides and ossein
  • Ø pI in the range 4.8-5.5
  • 1. Calf skin or hide trimmings, wash and treat with lime for 1-3months
  • 2. Limed skins are wash and neutralized with dilute acid.
  • 3. Transfer to kettles and heat with successive portions of hot water
  • 4. Partial hydrolysis of the collagen occurs, result in extracts which are dilute solutions of gelatin
  • 5. Continue Similar to Type A

  • Ossein gelatin (Type B):
  • 1. Degreased, hard bones, wash and leach with repeated portions of dilute HCl
  • (Acid reacts with mineral contents of the bone, removed in the acid solution, left ossein)
  • 2. Dry for storage or lime immediately.
  • 3. Follow the procedure outlined for the production of gelatin from calf skin

Gelling Power
  • Most important property of gelatin: Its ability to form gels in a thermoreversible way
  • Gelling power is determined by the bloom value -à the measurement of firmness of a standard gel under precisely determined conditions
  • Bloom value of commercially edible gelatin: 80 – 280
  • Advantages of high-bloom gelatins
    • Higher melting and solidification points
    • More rapid solidification and setting times in the final product
    • Lower amount needed
    • Lighter color
    • Better odor and taste
  • Which depending on factors of:
    • Concentration of the gelatin solution
    • Temperature
    • Gelling time and gelling temperature
    • Thermal pre-treatment and duration of treatment
    • pH of the solution
    • salt content

Functional Properties of Gelatin
  • Gel formation
  • Water binding
  • Texturising
  • Thickening
  • Emulsion formation and stabilization
  • Foam formation and stabilization
  • Film formation
  • Adhesion / cohesion
  • Protective colloidal function
Note: temperature, salt content and pH are taken into account.
Advantages
  • Forms thermally reversible gels with water
  • Gel melting temperature is below body temperature
  • Gives unique organoleptic properties and flavor release
Disadvantages
  • Derived from animal hide and bone: Problems regarding kosher and Halal status and also vegetarians

Fish Skin Gelatin
a) Normal gel strength
ü Has a normal hydroxyproline content
ü Made from fish from warmer water
ü Not necessary from fresh water

b) Low or no gel strength
ü Has a low hydroxyproline content
ü Produced from cold water species
ü Used to emulsify vitamin A before spray drying to give another type of microencapsulated product using gelatin

Safety
ü Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS)
ü Joint Expert Commission on Food Addictives (JECFA) placed no limit on the use of gelatin in 1970